Exclusive interview with Coca-Cola’s Michael Gluzman

Ahead of this December’s Digital Print for Packaging Europe we spoke to Michael Gluzman, Design Lead at Coca-Cola, about how Sprite used the power of digital print to increase consumer engagement, the future industry innovations and developments he’s excited about and what he hopes to learn at this year’s conference.

Smithers Pira: Your presentation at DPP Europe is on ‘Sprite’s Lyrical Summers’, can you tell us a bit more about this and why it is an important topic for the industry right now?

Michael Gluzman (MG): I’m going to talk about how Sprite managed to turn an insight into a 3-year long campaign that contributed to brand love and sales. Design became the connective force between this insight and technology. The tech was invisible but without it, the core essence of the project couldn’t exist. I hope the story of our major campaign inspires others.

Smithers Pira: What do you feel will be the most exciting developments in the digital print for packaging landscape in the next 5 years?

MG: I’m most excited about new technologies not only making more effects possible on more substrates, but for those technologies to accomplish having a similar feeling to the traditional hand-wrought styles they will mimic. There’s a soul in the crafted methods that people are willing to pay a premium for. I’m interested to see whether or not amazing advancements like HP Indigo or Scodix will find ways to keep the soul and charm.

Smithers Pira: What are some of the most innovating things happening in the industry?

MG: The things I see Bai doing on their shrink-wrapped cans is very cool – the combination of effects and high quality reproductions of art is stunning. The packages end up beautiful. I believe it’s setting a new standard of quality usually reserved for other substrates.

Smithers Pira: What are the latest technology developments in digital printing?

MG: Scodix is making me very interested to play. The variety I’ve seen is particularly remarkable. However, I hope that we don’t start seeing a prolific use of effects for the sake of effects. The discipline to continue to use good design principles for effective communication over glitz and glam will always have more longevity than trendy effects.

Smithers Pira: What do you think are the main challenges the industry is facing, and how do you think this conference can overcome them?

MG: I think we need to talk about the speed, cost, and scale. Companies with high volume of goods rely on efficient means of reaching consumers. Right now, it seems the ability to create compelling executions using digital printing cannot be adopted on large scales.

Smithers Pira: What are you most looking forward to at Digital Print for Packaging Europe 2017?

MG: I’m looking forward to getting schooled – I hope to be the dumbest person in the room to learn and be inspired.

Smithers Pira: How do you think Digital Print for Packaging Europe will benefit attendees?

MG: I can’t imagine walking away without having seen or learned something new. I think we’re all in for some illuminations and insights.

Digital Print for Packaging Europe 2017 takes place at the Meliá Berlin in Berlin, Germany from 5-7 December 2017. Michael will be presenting as part of the Brand Owner’s Perspectives and Consumer Engagement session at the conference this December. Other speakers in the session include Matthew Daniels from Unilever and Stefan Casey from Nestlé.